meditation, recovery

How Meditation Helps Recovery of Your Spirit

You will notice that the inner space is clear, quiet and undisturbed. It is peace itself. ~ Gail Brenner

Have you tried meditation?

Even five minutes can be helpful.

Meditation is an amazing tool for anyone to connect with their inner selves and a way to find some quiet moments each day to renew and allow their mind to rest.

Running, as we all know is physical. It is helpful for our minds, as it works our body and helps to keep us fit. Meditation is for the mind. According to William Glasser, M.D., running is the easiest way to physically find a positive addiction. Meditation is the most popular way.

Do you remember the Transcendental Meditation or TM movement from the 60’s? Maharishi Mahesh Yogi started the movement and brought it to the masses. Now, meditation is more mainstream, a respected practice and accessible to everyone.

Postive Addiction

In his book, Positive Addiction, Glasser interviews, and shares how people feel after they meditate. They discuss how meditation has changed their life. Their life becomes more clear. Connections with others became easier.

Relationships improved. Their confidence in themselves begins to grow.

With meditation, we have a regular time each day to notice our breath as we accept what goes on in our head in a non-critical way. Many people meditate in the morning right after they get up. Some prefer to meditate after a physical activity, or later in the day.

When you meditate, you gain more access to your brain. It is hard to achieve the same effect if you do not take the time to notice your breath.

Physical relaxation occurs because as Glasser points out any mental strength we have is reflected in physical relaxation. One person describes her meditation practice as a “typical relaxed, non-self-critical flow of ideas which come and go effortlessly…”

Other descriptions of meditation are that it is a tremendously unique and very personal experience. It’s almost sacred, but not religious at all. More energy, more determination, and enjoyment of every moment are other words to describe the experience.

The large and clear thinking was mentioned. The experience felt large. The person who practiced meditation felt he was without his body. He knew he was inside it, but did not feel it. It was a glimpse of total limitlessness.

Others mentioned that they get the same relaxed feeling as when they are in a beautiful natural setting. Glass calls this the pleasant, relaxing, non-self-critical pre-PA state.

When the meditators missed their practice, they felt a mild discomfort. They had a feeling of missing something valuable, a little tension or guilt. It’s the same sort of feeling as not brushing your teeth, or bathing, a habit that you are used to.

Some of the meditators that Glasser questioned were heavy to moderate drug users. They explained that when the drug experience wears off, the more they used, the less effect the drug had. The difference with meditation is that the experiences were cumulative. It carried over into their daily life, even after they had forgotten about their practice.

The group, in general, reported that they had a greatly diminished use of alcohol. Many have stopped drinking, smoking and using drugs of any kind.

Meditation helps you to gain strength It has health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and pulse rate. Meditation can strengthen the immune system, as well as lift your mood.

I’m fairly new to meditation, having started practicing after taking yoga for several years. What I love about meditation is the calm, relaxed feeling I have. Letting everything just be for a period of time has been helpful.

The idea is to let your thoughts just float by. Do not attach yourself to any of them. Let go of judgment.

Sit and notice your breath. Of course, on occasion, I get antsy. I think other people do as well from time to time.

The key is to keep at it. You will then develop your practice. It will become part of your life.

I believe meditation is helpful to all of us. It allows us to access those inner thoughts that we may not give ourselves time to get to during a busy day.

meditation

Here are ten quotes that explain the benefit of meditation.

  • When you learn to immerse yourself in the present moment — whatever it is like — you will experience a deep joy and peacefulness.” ~ Mary Jaksch
  • Meditation helps your mind to settle so clarity can arise.  When the mind is calm, you’re able to see more clearly, make better decisions, respond more effectively, and create less pain for yourself and others. ~ Sandra Pawula
  • The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness. ~ Todd Goldfarb 
  • The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we will experience true happiness. But if our mind is not peaceful, we will find it very difficult to be happy, even if we are living in the very best conditions. Kelsang Gyatso 
  • Meditation is a simple but life-transforming skill that can help you to relax, enhance understanding about yourself and develop your inherent potential. ~ The Conscious Life
  • Meditation is not necessarily about religion. It really doesn’t matter whether you are Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Hindi or worship goats, you can still employ meditation to help improve the quality of your life. ~ Tim Brownson
  • One of the coolest things about meditation is you learn so much about yourself, and start experiencing yourself and the world in such a different way. ~ Kathryn Goetze
  • Become slower in your journey through life. Practice yoga and meditation if you suffer from ‘hurry sickness.’ Become more introspective by visiting quiet places such as churches, museums, mountains, and lakes. Give yourself permission to read at least one novel a month for pleasure. ~ Wayne Dyer
  • When we discover that this haven of calm is always available within us, we realize that a moment of stopping and dropping in brings sanity and perspective.” ~ Gail Brenner
  • If you truly get in touch with a piece of carrot, you get in touch with the soil, the rain, the sunshine. You get in touch with Mother Earth and eating in such a way, you feel in touch with true life, your roots, and that is meditation. If we chew every morsel of our food in that way we become grateful and when you are grateful, you are happy. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

  • If you are looking for a more peaceful existence, give meditation a try. You may find that you will feel the serenity you are seeking.

    Are you interested in adding meditation to your life? How has meditation helped you? Join the discussion and let us know in comments.

    Are you looking for support because you’re seeking peace and calm? Apply for a Breakthrough Session. Getting support will help you feel more clear and centered.

     

    21 thoughts on “How Meditation Helps Recovery of Your Spirit”

    1. Hi Cathy,
      I am glad to hear that you are meditating. It takes some getting used to but the benefits are so worth it to me. I remember watching the Tina Turner movie over a decade ago and how she used Meditation to get out of the relationship with Ike and to strengthen her inner- self.

    2. Hi Justin,

      Meditation is a wonderful tool and what’s great is that everyone has access to it if they are interested. Thanks for your comment.

    3. Hi Cathy-Hope you are well. I really appreciate this info about meditation. It is something I have just started doing although I have not mastered it every time.

      As always, thanks for your support.

      Karen

      1. Hi Karen,

        That is great that you have started meditating, I’ve been meditating for a couple of years now, but feel like I’m a beginner myself. It seems easy enough to just sit for a period of time, which it is, but the more we practice the more we get out of the experience. Thanks for leaving a comment.

    4. I recently participated in a guided meditation. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to let my mind go if someone was talking me through it. The meditation was wonderful. Maybe the best one ever.
      Thanks for a great post, as usual!!

      1. Hi Betsy,

        Guided meditation can be wonderful as it can bring to that place of calm more quickly than if you are doing it yourself. Even if you meditate a few minutes each day and then build up slowly to 15 to 20 minutes.

      1. Hi David,

        The photo moved me as well. Meditation certainly has helped me feel more positive about life and happier overall. I highly recommend it for anyone, but especially someone who is feeling stress in their life. It does seem to help.

    5. hi Cathy – Meditation is a practice that can be very transformative for recovery an dday to day life. It’s a few minutes in the day to be turn inward, be more mindful and to pay attention. So much of our day and lives are spent focused on everything around us that a few minutes of meditation can help us with all the things you describe above – focus, clarity, appreciation of every moment, etc

      1. Hi Vishnu,

        Well said! When I started practicing meditation, it had never occurred to me how of our lives are just spent getting through the day and being “busy.” I think we all need a few moments each day to calm down and be still. I feel very drawn to meditation now, and feel it when I skip a day. Thanks for your comment!

    6. Hi Cathy,

      I agree with everyone else, meditation can help bring us through so many things. I finally learned how to do it properly a couple years ago and I have to admit it has really helped me bring more peace into my life. It has helped keep me more centered and more connected with others. I can only imagine what it can do for recovering from addiction.

      Thank you for sharing this with us Cathy.

      ~Adrienne

      1. Hi Adrienne,

        Meditation has helped me as well, and it can be beneficial to anyone. So glad you have found it and that it has worked for you. When you are going through trauma, it’s wonderful to know that there are tools out there to help. This is one more way to help continue long term recovery. Thanks for your comment.

      1. Hi Lisa,

        I have found meditation to be helpful in my life to just calm me down and bring me to that place of inner peace. I think you would love it.

      1. Hi Farouk,

        I’m so glad that you don’t have any addictions. Honestly most people don’t, but there are so many affected right now, that the problem is growing. Thanks so much for your support.

    7. Do you feel meditation would work for Porn Addicts? What seems to be working for me the most is keeping myself busy. It’s when I’m bored or alone that makes me the most vunerable. Maybe I could meditate 5 minutes before I have to leave to be somewhere?

      1. Hi Artisan,

        Mediation can help with any situation. You may find that meditation allows you to connect with your inner thoughts and you will have more clarity about your addiction. All the best to you.

    8. SA @higher_powered

      I just finished a 6-week course on Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention. Very transformative to my recovery. Related to another’s comment about “staying busy” when triggered and feel that staying present is so much more effective long-term. Taking refuge in what’s happening right now. An acronym that helps: Stop Observe Breath Expand Respond (SOBER).Thanks for the topic Cathy and for your ongoing dedication to recovery. Dan.

    9. SA @higher_powered

      Another meditation quote for you:

      You should meditate for 20 minutes every day – unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour. — Zen Proverb

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